Renowned for her unmistakable style and her gift for making women laugh, exhale and actually enjoy being photographed, Cara Garbarino has spent the past 18+ years helping everyday women see themselves the way the world already does: powerful, magnetic and entirely unforgettable.

Raised in a family where creativity wasn’t encouraged so much as expected, Cara’s origin story includes a darkroom in her childhood closet and a camera permanently attached to her hand by age nine. What started as curiosity quickly became calling. Over the past three decades she’s photographed an extraordinary range of humans- from presidents like Barack Obama to cultural icons like Paul McCartney and Cyndi Lauper, and sports legends including Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and the Chicago Cubs. But her true passion has never been celebrity- it’s connection.

In 2009, after a wildly successful decade as one of Chicago’s most sought-after luxury wedding photographers, Cara felt the pull toward something more personal, more meaningful, and frankly, more fun. She founded The Atelier, one of the Midwest’s first luxury boudoir studios, with a bold mission: to create an experience where women feel seen and celebrated, exactly as they are.

Since then, she’s photographed over a thousand women, each session fueled by laughter, trust and the quiet magic that happens when someone realizes they don’t need to change a thing to be worthy of the spotlight.

Today, Cara lives and works in Chicago with her husband, their two sons, and their beloved rescue pitbull, Derek. Her camera remains her favorite tool- not just for capturing beauty, but for helping women finally recognize their own.